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Story Continued - What Environments in MMO are you Fav's? What would you like to see in the future?
Fuppo Headhunter
Moderator, Member, Alpha One
Continued from - https://forums.ashesofcreation.com/discussion/52484/a-new-journey-what-are-your-thoughts-on-the-beginning-player-experience-in-mmos -
Ongoing story, this is just for fun and flavor to go with questions, is nothing Official in any way!
--What Environments in MMO are you Fav's? What would you like to see in the future for Environments that you have not seen done before?
-- What Biome and environment do you think you will want to call your home for your character? Is there a specific area in MMO worlds that you generally lean towards, or does it matter to you?
Continued-
A low deep voice interrupts the words that had just started to escape Allu's mouth. “Why do we not continue this conversation less harshly, friends? Is this how we treat our companions?” The voice emerged from a Massive figure, an Ork. A Ren'Kai, to be precise.
Allu and Zii both look back at the tall Orc with a giant two-handed hammer fastened on his back and become silent, though not before shooting glares at each other and making huffing noises like they are puffing air through their beards.
The orc is giant in comparison to the two ahead of him. Alluring and Zii, standing on each other's shoulders, would not rise to the middle of the Ren'Kai's head. Massive shoulders and arms as large around as the legs of the dwarves put together are covered with Plates of steel finely fashioned and engraved with symbols denoting the accomplishments of the gladiator. That is what Roshen, his name, had been on Sanctus. A gladiator of renown! Having won his freedom through blood and combat in the arenas. It was not a small feat. The Gladiator had to have won; one-hundred and three challenges of single-action; twenty battles against two opponents, and three battles against four with a wild animal fighting with them simultaneously!
“When anger rises, think of the consequences before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves,” Roshen says. “It does not matter how slowly we go so long as we just do not stop.” he intones in his even and very calm way, which he always speaks. Alluring had yet to see him show any signs of becoming stressed or even excited since the beginning of the journey, even when that clutter of spiderlings had attacked them! She was sure that as the Orc had smashed the limbs and bodies of those he had fought in the arena with his Great Hammer, which he had given the name Banisher, he had been saying the same things to them!
Ren'Kai had a philosophy of seeking inner peace through Honor, Power and Tranquility. They focused their power and could release it with devastating bursts when becoming enraged by staying calm. Feats of almost impossible actions in combat. Roshen was the best example of this attitude that both Zii and Allu had ever met, though thankfully, they had not had a reason to see him become enraged, “that will take a lot more than a few spiderlings,” thought Alluring. “Just us being lucky and being near that river we could cross which the spiderlings would not is what saved us there!”
At that moment, Alluring heard a small voice call out that sounded like chimes on the wind, crisp sounds like small bells combined in a voice coming from her belt pouch.
“Let me out! Let Me out!” It exclaims..
Alluring opens her pouch, reaches in and takes out an orb that barely fits in her leather-covered hand, which appears to be glass or maybe crystal glowing with a faint light. A small figure floats inside of it, suspended in the middle; the sound of the voice is coming from it, the vibrations from the ball making the sound have its distinct light claxon of bells.
“Finally! Does one have to yell to get the attention of those who keep one in the dark? One has been saying that ahead is the destination; Ones are almost there!” Says the tiny elfin figure, which is the source of the faint glow, her wings beating at a blinding speed, making her garments that appear to be made out of shining white silk flutter. However, no movement of her tiny body is apparent in any direction in the crystal ball.
“Again, One is not a Compass!! One is named Tara'Lalesh! Tara, not Tool or Direction Ball! Tara!” the sounds of the chimes and bells came louder at this last, the ball vibrating so much that Allu swore that it might break.
“Yes, you are a compass, or at least our guide and not a good guide, Tara! We are lost, and this is your fault!” Allu exclaimed.
“Lost? No, this is not the word; one is found, yes, found, for the destination is right ahead of one! Does not one see the clearing of the forest ahead?” the tiny chimes intoned with a slightly smug sound, smug sounding as bells whispering on the thin crystal could be.
They all had stopped and stared down at the Elfin creature; now, they looked up towards the west and could see the sun that had just begun to cast its rays low under the trees. Just ahead, illuminated by the rays, there was a forest clearing which they had not noticed as the attention had been on trying to keep from stepping wrong in the deep undergrowth of vines. Large leaves that none of them could put names to covered and blocked sight in all directions in the great Pine forest.
“Finally!” Shouted Zii. “Let's get going!” she said as she started to crash through the forest once again. Alluring rolls her eyes as she watches Zii plow ahead. “Well, at least anyone in the clearing will have a good warning we are almost there. "We will see in a moment.” She continues along with the Ren'Kai moving silently behind. They follow the sounds of the brush being broken and along to the jingle and chime of Tara humming a song sung by children on Sanctus that was about “I told you so” or something along those lines.
As they reached the tree line, they noticed that Zii had stopped and had become very still, which had not happened except when she had been asleep, “Oh Goddess!.” was the only sound that came from a gasp of breath exhaled in wonder. Alluring and Roshen stepped out of the underbrush into the meadow and stopped and stared.
Since coming through the Divine Gateway to Sanctus, the environment had been shrouded with tall Pine trees, dense undergrowth, and maple trees. After they left the valley clearing surrounded by lofty snow-covered peaks where the Divine Gateway was located, this was the only type of landscape they had seen for the few feet that could be seen.
Now though, the true expanse of the world opened up in front of them. The group was on a high mountain plateau that dropped off on a great cliff. The world spread out before them, stretching to the ocean in the far distance on the horizon. The sun gleamed, just starting to descend under it and casting a red and orange hue into the piercingly blue sky, stars just beginning to show in that sky behind the red duskiness. Details of the lands ahead had already been shrouded by the darkness spreading with the coming night.
A solitary peak with its orange glow coming from its top, the great volcano erupting, could be seen in the distance against the sky. Plants and grass of numerous varieties unfamiliar to the explorers dotted the clearing. A group of five of what appeared to be deer, with glowing horns and slimmer with longer legs than any seen on Sanctus, stand on the far right side of a stream covered with a light mist and in the middle of the clearing completing this surreal environment was the ruins of a great tower. Tumbled walls strewn out in front of the Towers ruins with grass and slightly fluorescent moss clinging to the stone, giving off a strange glow illuminating the carved blocks.
“Well, let us continue. What is there to worry about if you look into your own heart and find nothing wrong there? What is there to fear?” Roshen says and takes a step forward into the clearing. Looking a little further ahead due to his height, he sees a figure with eyes glowing with an inner fire appear suddenly on top of one of those stone blocks.
“Is that a cat?” he says questioningly in his deep voice.
To be continued...
--What Environments in MMO are your Faviorite's? What would you like to see in the future for Environments that you have not seen done before?
-- What Biome and environment do you think you will want to call your home for your character? Is there a specific area in MMO worlds that you generally lean towards, or does it matter to you?
Ongoing story, this is just for fun and flavor to go with questions, is nothing Official in any way!
--What Environments in MMO are you Fav's? What would you like to see in the future for Environments that you have not seen done before?
-- What Biome and environment do you think you will want to call your home for your character? Is there a specific area in MMO worlds that you generally lean towards, or does it matter to you?
Continued-
A low deep voice interrupts the words that had just started to escape Allu's mouth. “Why do we not continue this conversation less harshly, friends? Is this how we treat our companions?” The voice emerged from a Massive figure, an Ork. A Ren'Kai, to be precise.
Allu and Zii both look back at the tall Orc with a giant two-handed hammer fastened on his back and become silent, though not before shooting glares at each other and making huffing noises like they are puffing air through their beards.
The orc is giant in comparison to the two ahead of him. Alluring and Zii, standing on each other's shoulders, would not rise to the middle of the Ren'Kai's head. Massive shoulders and arms as large around as the legs of the dwarves put together are covered with Plates of steel finely fashioned and engraved with symbols denoting the accomplishments of the gladiator. That is what Roshen, his name, had been on Sanctus. A gladiator of renown! Having won his freedom through blood and combat in the arenas. It was not a small feat. The Gladiator had to have won; one-hundred and three challenges of single-action; twenty battles against two opponents, and three battles against four with a wild animal fighting with them simultaneously!
“When anger rises, think of the consequences before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves,” Roshen says. “It does not matter how slowly we go so long as we just do not stop.” he intones in his even and very calm way, which he always speaks. Alluring had yet to see him show any signs of becoming stressed or even excited since the beginning of the journey, even when that clutter of spiderlings had attacked them! She was sure that as the Orc had smashed the limbs and bodies of those he had fought in the arena with his Great Hammer, which he had given the name Banisher, he had been saying the same things to them!
Ren'Kai had a philosophy of seeking inner peace through Honor, Power and Tranquility. They focused their power and could release it with devastating bursts when becoming enraged by staying calm. Feats of almost impossible actions in combat. Roshen was the best example of this attitude that both Zii and Allu had ever met, though thankfully, they had not had a reason to see him become enraged, “that will take a lot more than a few spiderlings,” thought Alluring. “Just us being lucky and being near that river we could cross which the spiderlings would not is what saved us there!”
At that moment, Alluring heard a small voice call out that sounded like chimes on the wind, crisp sounds like small bells combined in a voice coming from her belt pouch.
“Let me out! Let Me out!” It exclaims..
Alluring opens her pouch, reaches in and takes out an orb that barely fits in her leather-covered hand, which appears to be glass or maybe crystal glowing with a faint light. A small figure floats inside of it, suspended in the middle; the sound of the voice is coming from it, the vibrations from the ball making the sound have its distinct light claxon of bells.
“Finally! Does one have to yell to get the attention of those who keep one in the dark? One has been saying that ahead is the destination; Ones are almost there!” Says the tiny elfin figure, which is the source of the faint glow, her wings beating at a blinding speed, making her garments that appear to be made out of shining white silk flutter. However, no movement of her tiny body is apparent in any direction in the crystal ball.
“Again, One is not a Compass!! One is named Tara'Lalesh! Tara, not Tool or Direction Ball! Tara!” the sounds of the chimes and bells came louder at this last, the ball vibrating so much that Allu swore that it might break.
“Yes, you are a compass, or at least our guide and not a good guide, Tara! We are lost, and this is your fault!” Allu exclaimed.
“Lost? No, this is not the word; one is found, yes, found, for the destination is right ahead of one! Does not one see the clearing of the forest ahead?” the tiny chimes intoned with a slightly smug sound, smug sounding as bells whispering on the thin crystal could be.
They all had stopped and stared down at the Elfin creature; now, they looked up towards the west and could see the sun that had just begun to cast its rays low under the trees. Just ahead, illuminated by the rays, there was a forest clearing which they had not noticed as the attention had been on trying to keep from stepping wrong in the deep undergrowth of vines. Large leaves that none of them could put names to covered and blocked sight in all directions in the great Pine forest.
“Finally!” Shouted Zii. “Let's get going!” she said as she started to crash through the forest once again. Alluring rolls her eyes as she watches Zii plow ahead. “Well, at least anyone in the clearing will have a good warning we are almost there. "We will see in a moment.” She continues along with the Ren'Kai moving silently behind. They follow the sounds of the brush being broken and along to the jingle and chime of Tara humming a song sung by children on Sanctus that was about “I told you so” or something along those lines.
As they reached the tree line, they noticed that Zii had stopped and had become very still, which had not happened except when she had been asleep, “Oh Goddess!.” was the only sound that came from a gasp of breath exhaled in wonder. Alluring and Roshen stepped out of the underbrush into the meadow and stopped and stared.
Since coming through the Divine Gateway to Sanctus, the environment had been shrouded with tall Pine trees, dense undergrowth, and maple trees. After they left the valley clearing surrounded by lofty snow-covered peaks where the Divine Gateway was located, this was the only type of landscape they had seen for the few feet that could be seen.
Now though, the true expanse of the world opened up in front of them. The group was on a high mountain plateau that dropped off on a great cliff. The world spread out before them, stretching to the ocean in the far distance on the horizon. The sun gleamed, just starting to descend under it and casting a red and orange hue into the piercingly blue sky, stars just beginning to show in that sky behind the red duskiness. Details of the lands ahead had already been shrouded by the darkness spreading with the coming night.
A solitary peak with its orange glow coming from its top, the great volcano erupting, could be seen in the distance against the sky. Plants and grass of numerous varieties unfamiliar to the explorers dotted the clearing. A group of five of what appeared to be deer, with glowing horns and slimmer with longer legs than any seen on Sanctus, stand on the far right side of a stream covered with a light mist and in the middle of the clearing completing this surreal environment was the ruins of a great tower. Tumbled walls strewn out in front of the Towers ruins with grass and slightly fluorescent moss clinging to the stone, giving off a strange glow illuminating the carved blocks.
“Well, let us continue. What is there to worry about if you look into your own heart and find nothing wrong there? What is there to fear?” Roshen says and takes a step forward into the clearing. Looking a little further ahead due to his height, he sees a figure with eyes glowing with an inner fire appear suddenly on top of one of those stone blocks.
“Is that a cat?” he says questioningly in his deep voice.
To be continued...
--What Environments in MMO are your Faviorite's? What would you like to see in the future for Environments that you have not seen done before?
-- What Biome and environment do you think you will want to call your home for your character? Is there a specific area in MMO worlds that you generally lean towards, or does it matter to you?
4
Comments
Because of the world design of most games, I can't get them all in one place normally, so I end up bouncing between them as long as they aren't too far apart. Generally, I kinda ignore other biomes even when I have to pass through them. Something about 'riding through the forest path' just doesn't get me as interested as 'knowing every inch, nook and cranny of a coastline or chilly mountain range'.
Sounds chilly but rewarding!! Yay!
A true explorer at heart!
In games, I want a pretty diverse set of environments, designed in a way to buy into my involvement with that environment. Games that do open natural environments damn near perfect are RDR2, Witcher 3, and Fallout 4. RDR2 is probably as close to modern ideal as I've seen - so I'm expecting UE5 to take this to a surreal experience. For urban environments, Cyberpunk 2077 is a phenomenal gamescape. Night city FEELS seedy, grittty, enclosed, and busy.
On the other hand, I DO NOT want game environments to be designed in a way that funnel characters into a linear path. Neverwinter is a usual suspect here. Terrible level design for an RPG.
You just want to be a free "BirB"!!
So pretty! Love areas like that!
Right! If i can get an AoC version of Rivendell i will be happy hah.
The MMORPG i found the most enviroments like that was in Lineage 2, mainly Execution Grounds,Forest of the dead, Devil's Pass and Hellbound Island.
WoW also had a very good one that sadly wasn't open for quite a long time, the Forgotten Crypt behind tower of Karazhan, specially the Upside-down sinners area.
The Biomes i like the most are Tundras, Deserts and Foggy Swamplands, i will probably reside in one of them.
Extra: Vestiges of fallen civilizations in any environment is always cool.
Aren't we all sinners?
It's too bad that forests in most mmorpgs tend to look like a flat field with some sparsely planted trees that is way too small and should not be called a forest.
New World had some good forests but that was kinda the only thing good in that game.
I like most of the Harani continent, the terrain elevation, tree's and other land features to me feel very correct, nothing looks absolutely bizarre or out of place (I think I love things that make sense xD).
Magical adventures through the forest glades by day and sitting down to gaze across the tranquil grasslands at night.
Oh a mana biome.... what would you describe it being like?
Rooftop’s, sewers y’all know the cliché’s.
- I absolutely love the desert in BDO and Uldum in WoW! Very sandy bare lands with mysterious ruins and tunnels scattered around are just chefs kiss
- Snowy mountains! The viking in me wants a freehold atop of one
- Magical forests filled with fantastical creatures!
- Gloomy towns shrouded in mystery, like Duskwood in WoW
I remember back in Wotlk - the storm peaks, before you could fly there was a mountain path you could climb and there were ways to ascend to the peak and oh boy the view.
In new world, one thing I felt mixed about, is that it was super easy to walk up a fairly vertical mountain - albeit the views WERE GOOD. But I feel that climbing a mountain shouldn't just be a timesink but a puzzle, working out the way to navigate the harsh terrain.
Doesn't bother me if it's sunny, snowy or otherwise, but I want there to be "Vistas" which are not straight forward to reach but reward you with an amazing view.
Chuck easter eggs about which depict a little of Verra's world history and you have hit gold too.
Oh yas... Mysterious areas which tell a story through the environment are great!
its the subtropical dry broadleaf forest.
think brush and small trees head high to 15 meters tall , with a very large old tree 50 meters tall towering over all with large space between.
ground level is mostly flat with islands of trees and brush in a sea of grass and pathways created by large hungry beasts .
Its a very very dangerous place to wander the large beasts that wont eat a person will simply trample the unfortunate into the ground.
also it is easy to get lost , as it is a maze throughout
Permanently dark area with ghouls, wraiths, vampires, necromancers, etc full of ruins, cemeteries, plagued cities, etc
Elwyn Forest.
Chill, apparently a backyard of civilization and apparently safe, but with all sorts of bandits, mines full of cobolds, etc